CO885-9 — Page 144

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

mimimumin C., 885

9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

58

2. I referred this report to the Attorney-General, who advised as follows:-"The ammunition clearly comes within The Arms and Ammunition Ordinance, 1900' (sections 17, 28, and 29), by which the ammunition can be forfeited, and the Master who has neglected it can be punished; and The Military Stores Ordinance, 1862' (section 2), by which the ammunition is also liable to forfeiture."

3. I gave directions for action to be taken on this advice, and the Harbour-master seized the ammunition under the Ordinance of 1862, and prosecuted the Master under the Ordinance of 1900. The Master was fined 250 dollars, and the ammunition, of which a list is annexed, was transferred to the Government Gunpowder Depôt at Stonecutters Island, where it is now stored.

4. I then directed the Harbour-master to endeavour to obtain from the Master of the ship an affidavit concerning the origin of the ammunition, but he declined to act further except under instructions from Messrs. Johnson, Stokes, and Master, who have claimed the ammunition on behalf of Messrs. Davier and Craig, of Shanghae, the owners of the "Tung Chau,” and have been informed that it is detained for the use of His Majesty. The Master's original statement was made in the presence of the Harbour-master and the Assistant Harbour-master.

5. I had instructed the Harbour-master to allow the ship, as soon as she had discharged the ammunition, to take in bunker coal and clear for Saigon, which port was her destination. The Master, however, appears to have been instructed to remain here for the present.

6. I will inform you in due course of further developments, if any, in connection with this case and of the ultimate disposal of the ammunition.

I have, &c.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

Enclosure 1 in No. 111.

M. NATHAN.

THE British steamer "Tung Chau "has just arrived in port from Shanghae. I had suspicions of this ship, and by an assumption of knowledge have been able to elicit the following facts from her Master:--

"The 'Tung Chau' was sold by Messrs. Butterfield and Swire to a firm in Shanghae, Messrs. Davier and Craig, on the 18th November last, with the evident object to run contraband to Russian ports. With this intention she was despatched to Saigon, where the ship's agents, Messrs. Spidel and Company, shipped on board from the Russian cruiser 'Diana,' cargo as per attached list.

"She proceeded north and was waiting at Shanghae for an opportunity to make a dash for Port Arthur, when news came of the surrender of that fortress. Her Master then received orders to return to Saigon with the object, he thinks, of replacing the stores on board the 'Diana."

"In addition to the food-stuffs, &c., shown on attached list, the vessel carries 250 tons of ammunition in cases, but concerning the nature of the same the Master has no knowledge or manifest.

"The vessel has put in here to ship 100 tons of bunker coal, which is necessary to enable her to reach Saigon."

I conclude that we have nothing to do with the breach of faith at Saigon, where it has been permitted to transfer ammunition, &c., from a vessel "in sanctuary," but the point is, how far we are justified in letting her proceed, when there is every likelihood of her attempting, sooner or later, to reach the Baltic fleet.

I have given instructions that she is to receive no coal until permission is given. This will cause no delay, as the Master informs me that he does not wish to leave before to-morrow, and is returning here at 2 P.M. to learn the Government instructions. As I view it, I do not quite see how we can prevent her leaving, viz.: clearing for Saigon; the case seems to present difficulties, but I submit that a legal view may be advisable.

The Master will require a permit for leaving with the ammunition, which he is unable to declare.

The detention of the ship must be avoided if there is no ground on which to detain her.

January 12, 1905.

L. BARNES LAURENCE,

Harbour-master.

59

LIVRÉ AU VAPEUR " DIANA," le 25 Décembre, 1904.

3 caisses huile

8

2

1

89

19

påtes alimentaires.

sardines à l'huile

légumes en conserve ..

132 18

"

lait

Init

11

1 caisse camp ration..

4 cuisses julienne

25

"J

jambon

50

か

2522

H

Bavon

chocolat "Suchard"

Bucre

lard

42

"

beurre

8

beurre

1 caisse Liebig, camp ration

Mellin's Food

2 caisses Maggi

20 C/ fromage Hollande

1 caisse pharmacie

1

H

pharmacie-

:::::

::::

::::::

::::

:::!:

::::

::::::

2,840) bandes, 10 kilog, gaze grande

100 piquets gaze au bichlorure

pharmacie

1

*

6 bidons acide phéniqué

50 kilog. bichlorure de mercure

3 kilog. extrait d'opium

10 kileg. iodoforme pulverisé

2 tonneaux contenant chacun 100 kilog. coton

indoformé

1 caisse contenant 10 flacone lysol

2, 6, 7.

9, 10, 11, 12, 736, 737, 798, 740. 18,46.

525, 626, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712, 718, 714, 716, 717, 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 782, 738, 784, 785, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741.

"Lait des Alpes Bernoises," B.A. "Lait perfection," B.A.

489.

5740, 5741, 6087, 6152.

147, 148, 149, 150, 153, 154, 155, 156, 159, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 170, 172, 174, 175, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181.

M.C.

M.C.

G.L. 1/40 || A.K. 2, 4, 5, 6, 8,

10, 12, M.C. 12, 15, 17 ||. 8884, 8805.

5885, 5886, 5887, 5888, 5889. "Bacon."

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 654. 556, 558, 559, 560, 562, 564, 566, 567, 568, 569, 570, 571, 572, 573.

M.C.Stuart et Cie."

Saigon.

M.Č. 4281.

1, 2.

6, 8, 15, 17, M.C.

Pharmacie," N. 501, contenant

20 k.log. quinine, 2,160 bandes.

No. 505 Ados.

M.C. 241.

M.C. 4766, 4761.

M.C. 242.

1

11

pharmacie-

80 douzaines bandes gaze, 0:05 × 5

20

0.07 .x 5

11

99

19

No. 1.

35

0.10 x 5

>

"1

1

"

pharmacie

100 bolies 1 m. gaze iodoformé

20 boites 2 m. gaze au sublimé

30 bottes 2 m. kaze hydrophile

>No. 2.

2 paquets 25 m. gaze phénique

10 kilog. coton hydrophile

1

29

pharinacie, contenant 22 kilog. coton bydro

philo

No. 3.

1

J

pharmacie, contenant 38 kilog, coton hydro-

phile

No. 4.

1

11

pharmacie, contenant 30 kilog, coton hydro-

phile

No. 5.

1

"J

pharmacie, contenant-

5 kilog. mullate de quinine fl. de 30 gr.

100 tubes de 20 comprimés sublimé

-

>No. 6.

100 boîtes de 6 ampoules so-eumnoforme

1

""

pharmacie, contenant-

200 gr. chl. de morphyne

5 kilog, chloroforme

5 kilog. iodoforme..

No. 7.

15 bidons 1 litre lysol

J.B.

50 caisses lait concentré

"Lait concentré."

8.

[1185]

I 2

*